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Volunteer in Thailand with Volunteering Solutions

Join one of Volunteering Solutions' many volunteer programs in Thailand! Thailand is a great travel destination full of beautiful landscapes with beaches, delicious food, ancient temples, and a welcoming local population. Volunteer projects are located in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Surin in Thailand. With a large range of projects, volunteers can do anything from elephant conservation, 3 week volunteer tours, to health care work to working with and teaching children in schools and orphanages. Visit the Volunteering Solutions website to learn more & join the Best Volunteer Programs in Thailand!

Questions & Answers

For my particular program it was a mix! In Bangkok, meals weren't provided (BUT VERY CHEAP); in the elephant camp all of our meals were provided and they were delicious! During our second volunteer project, breakfast and lunch were provided, and on the island no meals were provided.

Hi! All the places I stayed were included in the price. I believe the total amount I paid Volunteering Solutions was around $1000 (US), and another $1000 for a round-trip flight. Food is so cheap in Thailand. Someone could budget $10-$15 per week for food and be totally fine. Street food is around $2. I remember someone telling me I could buy a new outfit, a hot meal, and taxi cab ride all for $20...

By Teresa Barnaba on February 2, 2018

Program Reviews

Thailand Summer program 2015

I did the Thailand summer program for one month. It was one of the most rewarding experience one could have. I recommend everyone to join this program or any other program provided by Volunteering Solutions. Thailand was my third time with Volunteering Solutions, so I knew for a 100% sure everything would be perfect and it sure was. When I arrived at the airport I was immediately met with pick-up and given information on what would happen in the coming days. I had probably one the best guides during my stay in Thailand. Our guide was always there for us and made sure we were taken care of.
What I loved most about the summer program is that they integrate childcare in Surin and Bangkok, plus the elephant village for a week. So you really do get the best of everything. Everyone should volunteer at least once in their lifetime, and I highly recommend they do this through Volunteering Solutions.

How can this program be improved?

Ive been with Volunteering Solutions 3 times already (2008, 2010 and 2015) They have improved so much (from programs to even the website), so I'm having a hard time thinking of improvements.

Nov 4, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Leonor

27

Female

Lisbon, Portugal

9/10

Great Experience on holidays

When I went to the water riding one not very big male he started playing with others screaming with his trunk inside the ears of the other just for fun. So all of the sudden I was among many elephants that decided to join to play, all screaming in the ears of each others and spraying water.

How can this program be improved?

Better accomodation. It was to hot really and there wasn't mosquito nets in Surin.

Sep 8, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Ravin

23

Male

London, England

9/10

Thailand Summer Program The Best Volunteering Program Out There !

The Thailand summer program 2015 was honestly the best travel experience I have ever done so far in my life. It had the right balance of volunteering and being able to explore the land of smiles. Compared to other volunteering programs I felt that you got the best of both worlds, being able to volunteer with the awesome elephants and the fun to play with kids, and also being able to explore Thailand on your own. Being as this was my first time doing any volunteering I felt it was perfect because we got to sleep in different types of accommodations, such as hotels and hostels in peoples houses, so you get to have a nice sleep and experience how the Thai people sleep. I was lucky because I came with my best friend, but if you are coming by yourself don't worry cause the tour guides are always there for you and the people that you meet from different parts of the world make you learn so much that you could never have learnt if you stay at home. Everyone is friendly there even the locals. If you go there with a positive attitude then you will love your trip and love the people around you. Don't look at the negatives of a country cause every country has there good and bad points. The food was so nice there as well and the best part is your not forced to eat Thai food, so if you feel like you can't hack their food they have loads of western food places such as McDonalds. (P.S their Burger King is better than the UK's). All in all I loved my experience and hopefully next year I will be do more volunteering work cause I learnt, being stuck at home your eyes are closed to seeing how wonderful the world truly is.

How can this program be improved?

Not really Much I can say here apart from I wish would could have stayed longer with the kids. And during our weekend off I think they could have been a little bit more helpful in terms of what hotels to stay at and what to do at the two options the give because you were pretty much by yourself, which wasn't that bad. But other than that nothing else to say.

Aug 26, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Akua

19

Female

Londom

8/10

The world is your oyster

This trip was truly an amazing experience ,one that am I greatful for. In the space of 3 weeks this programme enabled me to do things I could only dream of doing and provided me with the opportunity to meet people from all around the world ,some of who I am proud to call friends for life. Most importantly this trip inspired me to pursue an adventurous life ,one that could be achieved by travelling and exploring the world around me, so thank you VolSol!

How can this program be improved?

There was quiet alot of free time in this trip ,which had both its ups and down. I would recommend that volunteers are given more advise and tips on what they could do in their spare time or perhaps provide more group activities for them to do.

Most volunteering groups bonded very well , with our group however ,it took a longer time to bond well as a group which resulted in there being a lot of separation. This may have been down to the size of our group and so I would recommend there to be a group orientation for the volunteers at the beginning of programme. A session which allows each volunteer to introduce themselves and perhaps share facts about them selves which would allow other group members to know them a bit better.

I would also suggest that volunteers are given the opportunity to spend more time with the elephants at the elephant camp , as we only got to spend two days with them.

Also perhaps restructure the proggrame to enable more time to be spent in Bangkok. This is recommendation alot of thev volunteers in my group had wished for.

Aug 13, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Ayla

Female

New Orleans, Louisiana

10/10

I fell in love with Thailand while traveling through Volunteering Solutions!

The entire trip helped me get the most of my short time in a wonderful country. Volunteering at the elephant camp in Surin is an experience like no other. I will probably never get to have such a real one to one connection with those magnificent animals ever again. No tourist gimmicks can compare. While caring for an elephant of your own by helping gather the food, feeding it, walking it, and bathing it in the river just down the road, you are fully immersed in the life of an elephant caretaker, or as they're called in Thailand, "Mahouts." The first time you ride your elephant into the river is such a surreal moment it won't even feel real at the time. I still look at pictures and can't believe I got the chance to do that!

How can this program be improved?

Since we were so close to Cambodia while staying in Surin, a few of us wanted to visit Siem Reap for the weekend. While the guides had sent volunteers across the border before, they seemed very unorganized in telling us what we would need to prepare ourselves for. I think Thailand program itineraries should include a section on explaining the best way to safely travel to Siem Reap and visit the Angkor temples and it would be really great if it provided a check list of what to bring like a Visa photo and your departure card given to you in the Thailand airport.

Aug 6, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Debbie

Female

San Francisco, California

9/10

Childrens' Home Project, Nimit Asia: Thailand

When I committed to volunteering abroad I knew that I would experience a life transforming journey. I didn't realize how much impact this experience had on me until I had some time to reflect and process it when I returned home. I am grateful.

How can this program be improved?

During our assignment logistically we had to take a taxi to and from the children's center. The travel time usually was about 30-45 minutes from the volunteers' accommodations to the children center. I wished we had more time with the children.

Aug 3, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Joseanne

24

Female

Quebec, canada

9/10

thailand; the land of smiles

I've just spent the best 4 months of my life in Chiang Mai, Thailand volunteering in a Children's Home and one week at the elephant camp. Every after noon i would go in the mountains, where the children's gome was and spend a few hours hours with them. We did homeworks, we cooked, we played together, we were teaching each other the other one's langage. Basically we just had a blast and loved each other very much. Everyine is lovely and smilingt here and they made me feel like a part of this big and wonderful family.

How can this program be improved?

Not a lot actually. Since everything is great. Its just not accessible to everyone who would l because of the cost.

Jan 30, 2015

Yes, I recommend

Jessica

19

Female

Alicante, Spain

10/10

An amazing experience

Really this summer has been one of the best I've had, above all been through Volunteering Solutions staff , who I wanted to thank you for the good work you do.
Thailand has been always a destination that has caught my attention, when I found the summer program to Thailand I thought , " This is certainly a fantastic opportunity for meet this country , the country's culture , the food , the people there , ... " I will not deny that I was afraid when I boarded the plane , I was completely alone at the time , but when I get there and I met the rest of my fellow travelers and the staff all that fear became joy.
A normal day in Thailand at the Elephant Village was like waking up in a dream , ride elephants, take them to the river , playing with the village children , nights talking and laughing with the rest of the group ... In Bangkok walking down Kaho San Road was the most bizarre I've seen insects for food vendors , hundreds of markets with a lot of variety of things, night bars where there were lots of partying , just incredible . To all adventurers to venture all the way into an experience like this , really recommend it . You will not forget it ever , I will not forget it . Thanks Volunteering Solutions.

How can this program be improved?

Nothing, I think is very good

Oct 6, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Claudia

19

Female

Chicago, IL

10/10

Speechless

There aren't enough words to described the impact this experience can leave on a person; when I left Thailand, I was matured, humbled, and absolutely inspired. I never imagined myself wading into a river on the back of an elephant, climbing trees in a national park in Thailand, or simply sitting around playing cards and listening to stories in a little village, let alone with such incredibly diverse, amazing people. From the trip leaders to your peer volunteers, everyone is genuine, open-minded, and easy to get along with. I, honestly, could not have asked for a better group, and it is with ease that I say I have made life-long friends while on this program.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Volunteering Solutions, for providing me with an unforgettable summer!

How can this program be improved?

There were moments that felt slightly disorganized within the program, such as our arrival in Bangkok and finding the hostel, but I didn't feel that this compromised the overall quality of the experience.

Sep 24, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Keenan

24

Male

Miami, FL

10/10

Amazing Trip

My time in Thailand was simply breathtaking. So much happened and I met so many great people. The children were fun and the elephants were as well. I loved my time there very much! I highly recommend this trip to anyone who is not sure just yet and to those who already are planning to go, get ready for a trip of a lifetime.

How can this program be improved?

More medical resources available.

Sep 4, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Katie

24

Female

United Kingdom

9/10

Brilliant trip!

This programme was such a great 3 weeks and great value for money! Working with elephants was definitely the highlight of the trip and the staff were so helpful with everything, including ideas for what to do in our free time. Would definitely recommend this programme to anyone!

How can this program be improved?

Project information did not mention outdoor work at children's centre when i applied so this should have been advertised.
And would have been nice if the volunteer group did not split in two.

Sep 4, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Devon

24

Female

San Diego, CA

10/10

Thai Summer Volunteer Adventure

The unique thing about this program was that my day to day experiences were all so different. Every day we did something new. One day we were cutting sugar canes down with machetes for elephants the next day we were pouring cement down to build a porch for a school house. The language barrier was not the biggest difficulty, but I saw a lot of people lose their patience with this challenge.

How can this program be improved?

The schedule of day to day events could have used more specific details.

Sep 4, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Sharon

32

Female

San Francisco

10/10

Thee MOST MEMORABLE volunteer experience I've had so far.

I've volunteer with VS at three different countries and so far, this one was my favorite experience for so many reasons.

The accommodations were simple but it was located right smack in the middle of the beautiful city of Chiang Mai. It was walking distance to all the great restaurants, shopping, and sites. The orientation was thorough and very helpful. The administration was helpful and I could tell that they had a passion for working with a volunteering company.

The volunteer location I was placed at was an orphanage that really needed the help of volunteers. I fell in love with the children who had taught me the value of focusing on a person's potential, and not on what they had lost and gone through. They all came from extremely adverse pasts but they were all very happy, loving, and in love with life.

While at Thailand, I was fortunate enough to have had some incredible experiences. I, along with a few other volunteers, were invited to a Hmong Wedding. It was beautiful. I was able to ride an elephant on its bare back up a mountain, and then had a water fight with it at the river before returning. We went river rafting and then had a picnic at the river bank before returning home. We did so many incredible things. I would not exchange this experience for anything.

How can this program be improved?

I would not change anything about this experience.

Apr 6, 2013

Yes, I recommend

Hannah

24

Female

Amsterdam

10/10

Volunteering in Chiang Mai

I had a fantastic experience volunteering in the Elephant Camp project in Chiang Mai. I decided to join the project as I love working with animals and heard some great reviews about Volunteering Solutions from my friends.

While staying at the camp, I worked along with the local Thai staff and the elephant trainers as well as volunteers from around the world. I had great time in Thailand and would recommend everyone to come to this beautiful country.

Nov 29, 2012

Yes, I recommend

Caroline

24

Female

Copenhagen

10/10

Girls Orphanage Chiang Mai!!

It was a great experience to work with these beautiful girls at the orphanage in Chiang Mai. I used to work for around 4-5 hours a day Monday to Friday and was free to travel on weekends which were a great relief after 5 days of work.

Overall Chiang Mai is a very beautiful and calm city and people are very friendly and helpful. Om our coordinator was awesome and it was a delight to stay with other volunteers at the amazing volunteer home. The home was really close to the center of Chiang Mai so volunteers could easily go around anywhere they wish to.

I am already missing Thailand very much and hope to be back soon by next summer.

Nov 16, 2012

Yes, I recommend

Pagination

About Volunteering Solutions

Volunteering Solutions started its operations in 2007 and has sent over 12500 volunteers abroad, and now has projects in more than 30 destinations across Asia, Latin America and Africa. Volunteering Solutions is dedicated to providing authentic,...